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What To Do About Background Report Errors

When applying for employment, an apartment to rent or a condo association to move into, you may be subjected to the popular practice of undergoing a background check. Beware. Often, in such cases, background reports come in with errors – causing a potential employer or landlord to believe the applicant has committed crimes when they have no blemishes on their records at all.

If this has happened to you, seek legal counsel right away. You may be able to rescue your failed application. More importantly, you can explore ways to prevent future occurrences. At SmithMarco, P.C., we work to protect people from false background check reports.

Don’t Give Up Before Getting Legal Advice

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) governs reporting agencies. A common issue that arises with background reporting agencies is the issuance of mixed information appearing in your file. Examples of this phenomenon include the following:

  • Information reported about someone is untrue.
  • Name confusion has led to a mixture of true and untrue information about someone.
  • The background reporting company has not been using all reasonable procedures to ensure maximum accuracy in reporting.

If a reporting agency is giving false information, they may be liable to you for the loss of employment opportunities.

We Will Investigate Sources Of False Or Incomplete Information

The credit bureaus, Trans Union, Equifax and Experian, are under an obligation to conduct a reasonable investigation when a consumer disputes the inaccuracy of their credit report. Background reporting bureaus should also do this.

If incorrect information appears on a background report, and the consumer or applicant notifies the reporting bureau of this inaccuracy, the reporting bureau must conduct an investigation, free of charge, into the reporting. The agency must then report back the results, and if the information is removed, offer to send this new report to any person or company that received someone’s incorrect report in the recent past.

Reach Out To Our Experienced Lawyers

To protect your rights, we urge you to contact an attorney if your background includes false information. Call 888-915-0836 or send an email inquiry to discuss what we, the consumer rights lawyers at SmithMarco, P.C., in Sarasota and the Chicago area, can do for you.